Sunday, October 13, 2013

The latest nonsense from C.'s school

Somebody on the hydrotherapy staff at my daughter C.'s school clearly had some time weighing heavily on her hands. The outcome was this laundry list that will hereafter bar a child from the pool:

Code of Health Rules for the Therapy Pool

It is forbidden for patients to enter the pool if the following conditions apply:

Prolonged, heavy cough

Runny nose (green/yellow mucus)

Herpes

Rash

Open sore

Lice

Girls during menstruation

Within 24 hours of having been given an enema

24 hours or less after having a fever

Patient receiving antibiotic - may return after 5 days of the treatment with medical certificate

After hospitalization, illness or surgery, must bring a medical authorization specifically for hydrotherapy.

After rehabilitative surgery, may not return to the water until the hydrotherapist has received instruction from the treating physiotherapist

Given that most children receive the therapy only once per week, this policy will frequently translate for many into zero sessions per week. (I confess, C. enjoys the luxury of the maximum number: 3 sessions per week, for which I had to fight tooth and nail. )

And given that sessions are cancelled at the drop of a hat - for instance, when a therapist is out sick, no replacement is hired - it will also translate into party time for the staff.

Several of the offending conditions are utterly ridiculous. One of them, days of menstruation, has absolutely no justification. Remember, the children all swim with diapers anyway.

The issue of menstruation first arose for us a couple of years ago when the hydrotherapists notified me out of the blue that C. could not enter the pool in that state. Previously, she had been doing so with nobody's objection.

When I asked the reason, the chief hydrotherapist explained "It isn't healthy for her."

That struck me as loopy. So I consulted C.'s pediatrician - a Harvard Medical School graduate with decades of experience - who confirmed my hunch. At my request, he kindly and promptly faxed me this note with which to tackle the pool powers-that-be.

To whom it may concern,
This is to authorize that C. can participate in hydrotherapy sessions despite being in the midst of menstruation.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. [name]
Pediatrician

It worked like a charm. C. did not even miss that day's session.

Now I wonder how the new edict will affect us. For now, it isn't a concern. Other than some spotting, C. hasn't had her period for about a year. I don't know why but, really, should it matter?

No comments:

About my blog

C. is the youngest of our children. She suffers from severe epilepsy, blindness, microcephaly and profound cognitive and physical impairment.

We have faced hurdles and gained insights through our encounters with the medical, educational and governmental establishments.

Nobody was there to help or guide us.

I would love to spare parents in the same predicament some of the painful mistakes and wasted efforts we have made.

I am also eager to promote greater acceptance, inclusion and appreciation of our children. The new, heightened awareness of people with disabilities tends to gloss over our children - the ones with profound disabilities. They are a forgotten minority within this minority. Still marginalized and even shunned by many "enlightened" societies, they are a long way off from achieving equal rights.